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  1. #1
    Campanella's Avatar
    Campanella
    Allies (City Hall)
    Allies (Criminal)
    Allies (Culture)
    Allies (Finance)
    Occult Skill
    Campanella
    Campanella
    Campanella's Scenes
    Stats

    Clock

    Health:
    Mana:
    WP:
    Armor 0
    Defense 2

    Vulgar +1
    Active Spells: 3/5
    Personal Spells: 3/1

    [2R] Analyze Artefact (Deep Scrutiny of Artefacts, Prolonged, 1 scene)
    [4R] Dark Matter (Matter Sight, Prolonged, 1 scene)
    [2R] One Mind, Two Thoughts (Prolonged, 1 scene)

    Tangled Threads

    Health:
    Mana:
    WP:
    Armor 4
    Defense 2

    Vulgar +1
    Active Spells: 3/5
    Personal Spells: 1/3


    [4] Aura Perception (Concentration, 1 scene)

    [5] Third Eye (Mind Sight, Prolonged, 1 scene)

    [2R] Unseen Aegis (Armor, 1 scene)

    2
    PRE

    Incense hangs in the air; it dances with the dust motes caught in shafts of weak wintry light from the high windows. Ephemeral, lazy, twisting, coiling. Here be dragons indeed. The walls, ceiling, and floor are bare stone and fittingly for the basement level of a pseudo cathedral, they form a weighty presence; even freshly cleaned, the air is still and heavy.

    This is the Mysterium holdings of the Circle of Creation: a series of interlinked chambers forming a sub-basement off the main cloister. Empty desks - high, like those in the scriptoria of old, press agains the walls. Squirrelled away in a corner is a small table with a large glass dome in it - the terrarium for some very unusual grubs. Pride of place is a lectern, upon which a leather bound grimoire is placed for open perusal.

    Campanella is setting out a rough circle with four chairs. He is back in his robes - the less formal ones - and with his freshly pressed suit he has the air and appearance of an Edwardian professor. The messages have been sent. Now he waits upon the rest of the Order to arrive.
    Crystal Aeolus Aurora Orianna Corn Fedup
    Campanella|Moros|Mysterium
    Gnosis: 4
    Occult Skill: 3

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  3. #2
    Corn's Avatar
    Presence
    Status (academic)
    Corn

    Nimbus: Light purple aura and a scent of freshly dug earth after a rain.
    Status (Academics) 1.
    Corn Scenes
     
      Duplication cost
      Analyze life
     Improvised out-of-path, 

    2
    PRE

    Corn arrives dressed in solemn clothes. Taking in the scene, he blinks. He expected a much less formal affair. This is really... nice. Seeing Campanella in robes, he approaches and gives him a formal greeting. Corn doesn't have magic active, not knowing whether it is permitted or not.

    "Greetings, Daduche Campanella. I didn't expect as a formal meeting. I apologize. This place is ... much grander than I expected. We have our work cut out for us in order to fill this with knowledge."
    For scene effects, see Minisheet. No monthly rituals at this time.
    Occult 4 because Mysterium is about the knowledge!

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  5. #3
    Crystal's Avatar
    Striking Looks
    (Captivating)
    Manipulation
    (Disarming)
    Resources
    Barfly
    Eidetic Memory
    Crystal

    Nimbus

    Walls and the Floor become slightly tilted, there's a sickly sweet and sharp smell in the air. Faintly, the sound chains (and even fainter: the sound of leather) can be heard. More powerful spells make the sounds more pronounced and colors seem to pulsate.
    Active Stats

    Astral Dive II
    Health:
    Mana:
    WP:
    Armor 0
    Defense 2

    Vulgar +/-0
    Active Spells: 1/4
    Personal Spells: 1

    [2] Third Eye
    [4R] Misperception

    +1
    SL
    3
    PRE

    Crystal arrived, not knowing what to expect. Campanella seemed approachable enough, and judging by the gatherings in the circle (and since there didn't appear to be anything pressing on the agenda) they'd probably just read some articles to each other or discuss some nerdstuff. He chose one of his nicer Boss-pullovers, though. Together with the dress-pants he gave off an air of playful seriousness while still staying comfortable. A messenger bag (its contents a notebook and some lose pens) hung loosely over his right shoulder, just something to store things in in case there were handouts going around.

    Campanella had mentioned that there was not much to look at in the Athenaeum, but the room surprised Crystal in its emptiness anyway. He didn't let his disappointment show as he went straight for the leader of their little Mysterium. "Daduchos Campanella thank you for the invitation. I hope you're doing well?"

    Next he gave Corn a nod and a smile. "Hey Corn!" Really not much more to say at this point. Crystal picked a chair, put his bag next to it and sat down, his attention drawn to the glass dome while he was waiting for things to start.
    Health: Willpower: Mana:


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  7. #4
    Aurora's Avatar
    Aurora
    Spells
    Striking Looks
    (Riveting)
    Presence
    (Confident)
    Fame
    (Entertainment)
    Madison Cross
    (Sleeper ID)
    Gnosis
    Aurora
    Aurora

    Dedicated Magical Tool

    Multicolored copper bracelet with intricate loops winding around her right wrist.
    Nimbus

    The sweet, fragrant smells of roses mixed with lilacs emanate from her as she casts magic. The scent intensifies, bordering on intoxicating, when Life magic is cast. When Aurora casts Vulgar magic, the scent takes a nasty turn, to the putrid, nauseating odor of a rotting corpse. The stronger the magic, the more those around want to retch at the smell.
    Monthly Spells

    Monthly spells done on character sheet.


    Pulse of the Living World[POT 6]
    Organic Resilience[POT 6]
    (PrP Treasure Hunt)

    Active Spells: 1/6
    [Detect Substance]Bone
    Personal Spells: 2/3
    Vulgar:
    Mana:6/8
    WP:3

    2
    FAME
    +1
    SL
    4
    PRE

    The last meeting, they hadn’t been very exciting, so she wasn’t expecting a whole lot from this one. Things were quiet, so not exciting was expected.

    And no one had told her if she definitely needed to get robes or not, so she arrives without them. She wasn’t even sure where you got robes. Was there a Mysterium store somewhere? Did you make them? Much mystery to the whole robe thing. But she did put some effort in by dressing up a bit. All black with a suit jacket.

    But she was glad to see she wasn’t the only one without robes, so there was that.

    A nod of respect to Campanella, then small smiles to the other two.

    “Hope I’m not late.”

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  9. #5
    Corn's Avatar
    Presence
    Status (academic)
    Corn

    Nimbus: Light purple aura and a scent of freshly dug earth after a rain.
    Status (Academics) 1.
    Corn Scenes
     
      Duplication cost
      Analyze life
     Improvised out-of-path, 

    2
    PRE

    "Hi Aurora , Crystal . I was not expecting such formal meeting to be honest. Do we have official attire for such meetings?" He asked of Campanela and Aurora motioning to the robes.
    For scene effects, see Minisheet. No monthly rituals at this time.
    Occult 4 because Mysterium is about the knowledge!

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  11. #6
    Campanella's Avatar
    Campanella
    Allies (City Hall)
    Allies (Criminal)
    Allies (Culture)
    Allies (Finance)
    Occult Skill
    Campanella
    Campanella
    Campanella's Scenes
    Stats

    Clock

    Health:
    Mana:
    WP:
    Armor 0
    Defense 2

    Vulgar +1
    Active Spells: 3/5
    Personal Spells: 3/1

    [2R] Analyze Artefact (Deep Scrutiny of Artefacts, Prolonged, 1 scene)
    [4R] Dark Matter (Matter Sight, Prolonged, 1 scene)
    [2R] One Mind, Two Thoughts (Prolonged, 1 scene)

    Tangled Threads

    Health:
    Mana:
    WP:
    Armor 4
    Defense 2

    Vulgar +1
    Active Spells: 3/5
    Personal Spells: 1/3


    [4] Aura Perception (Concentration, 1 scene)

    [5] Third Eye (Mind Sight, Prolonged, 1 scene)

    [2R] Unseen Aegis (Armor, 1 scene)

    2
    PRE

    Campanella adjusted the last seat as Corn arrived.

    "Yes. We do."

    He smiled and gently ushered Corn into one of the seats.

    "Official attire? No. I... I had mine custom made, going off what I saw from my old Consilium in D.C. As for these... I tracked down a shop that makes garments for academic graduations."

    To Crystal as he arrived:

    "It is no trouble at all. And I am well, thank you. Please..."

    The Moros gently ushered the Warlock into another waiting seat.

    Campanella genuinely beamed as Aurora made her presence known.

    "Not at all. Please, take a seat. And thank you for your gift. Much appreciated, I assure you."

    He offered the Thyrsus a seat and took the remaining one for himself, sitting and adjusting the folds of his academic robes.

    "Thank you for coming. As you can see, our Athenaeum is quite bare. That is the sad tragedy of our state. As Aurora here can attest, we have been fighting for survival against the Seers for some years. There simply was not an opportunity to repair what was... lost."

    "But before that. For those that do not know me, I am Campanella, a Moros and Daduchos of the Mysterium. Our presence is tiny, here; this must be the most we have had in number for some time. So who knows, perhaps the tide has turned."

    "Now I promised to explain - as much as is possible - our (and the Consilium's) current position. But before I do that, do you have any questions that simply cannot wait? The Grimoire is available for perusal - but I caution it cannot leave the Athenaeum - and will definitely benefit those of you who are interested in exploring the Mind Arcanum*. The grubs live in the terrarium over there; they have been touched by the Supernal but do not seem overly changed by it. Yet. I keep them here so they can be monitored. Occasionally, they excrete a substance infused with a little mana^."

    "Am I right in thinking you have already got to work?"

    Campanella was under the impression the newcomers were already working together on a project.

    Giving you all an opportunity to chat before I do the info-dump

    *The Grimoire was a 'plot device' to allow access to Mind rotes before the rules were changed. Consider the Grimoire as an in-game explanation for the Mind rotes in the 1st edition core mage book

    ^The grubs are just window-dressing at the moment and are the remains of a dead plot from way back. However, if you invest in a Hallow for the Mysterium sanctum.... the little grubs will start pumping out a liquid Tass again :P
    Campanella|Moros|Mysterium
    Gnosis: 4
    Occult Skill: 3

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  13. #7
    Crystal's Avatar
    Striking Looks
    (Captivating)
    Manipulation
    (Disarming)
    Resources
    Barfly
    Eidetic Memory
    Crystal

    Nimbus

    Walls and the Floor become slightly tilted, there's a sickly sweet and sharp smell in the air. Faintly, the sound chains (and even fainter: the sound of leather) can be heard. More powerful spells make the sounds more pronounced and colors seem to pulsate.
    Active Stats

    Astral Dive II
    Health:
    Mana:
    WP:
    Armor 0
    Defense 2

    Vulgar +/-0
    Active Spells: 1/4
    Personal Spells: 1

    [2] Third Eye
    [4R] Misperception

    +1
    SL
    3
    PRE

    The other Mystagogues' greeting was returned, although Crystal didn't really engage in much small-talk. Laid back or not - for all he knew Campanella took this whole business very seriously. Plus, after San Francisco he'd developed a healthy amount of.. well, not respect but something close to it for Awakened politics.

    The meeting was started by the Daduchos and Crystal listened, correcting his laid-back posture and showing the assumed required amount of respect. The Grimoire especially piqued his interest, although there was an almost reflexive repulsion following the intrigue. As if the knowledge stored within was dangerous and forbidden, as if it provided more of the means to bend other people's will and-

    Nope, not going there.


    He also didn't have any pressing questions - he had pieced the Consilium's history together as well as was probably useful right now and he didn't see the need to keep putting his finger in the veterans' wounds for now. Besides, there was no small chance that Corn would just go ahead and ask anyway. He could reap the rewards of those questions while still seeming sympathetic and respectful.

    When Campanella addressed the group project, Crystal did his best to seem invisible, shooting Aurora a side-glance. Ah yeah, they did talk about that. It was high time for them to actually get to that.

    Since it's been going over two threads, the paper-writing of Aurora and Crystal hasn't entered continuity yet.. I think?
    Health: Willpower: Mana:


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  15. #8
    Aurora's Avatar
    Aurora
    Spells
    Striking Looks
    (Riveting)
    Presence
    (Confident)
    Fame
    (Entertainment)
    Madison Cross
    (Sleeper ID)
    Gnosis
    Aurora
    Aurora

    Dedicated Magical Tool

    Multicolored copper bracelet with intricate loops winding around her right wrist.
    Nimbus

    The sweet, fragrant smells of roses mixed with lilacs emanate from her as she casts magic. The scent intensifies, bordering on intoxicating, when Life magic is cast. When Aurora casts Vulgar magic, the scent takes a nasty turn, to the putrid, nauseating odor of a rotting corpse. The stronger the magic, the more those around want to retch at the smell.
    Monthly Spells

    Monthly spells done on character sheet.


    Pulse of the Living World[POT 6]
    Organic Resilience[POT 6]
    (PrP Treasure Hunt)

    Active Spells: 1/6
    [Detect Substance]Bone
    Personal Spells: 2/3
    Vulgar:
    Mana:6/8
    WP:3

    2
    FAME
    +1
    SL
    4
    PRE

    A nod and wave to Corn, “Hi.” There really wasn’t much to say yet.

    She was a bit surprised by the genuine greeting and averts her eyes for a moment, “Oh, you’re more than welcome, I hope you enjoy it.” Accepting the chair with a grateful smile.

    As Campanella began, she nodded when mentioned.

    “I’m still surprised by how well they’re doing. But glad.”
    They were curious little creatures.

    Catching the side glance, “Crystal and I have spoken about taking on a paper together.” She adds, not bashful or worried about it.

  16. #9
    Corn's Avatar
    Presence
    Status (academic)
    Corn

    Nimbus: Light purple aura and a scent of freshly dug earth after a rain.
    Status (Academics) 1.
    Corn Scenes
     
      Duplication cost
      Analyze life
     Improvised out-of-path, 

    2
    PRE

    "No questions that can't wait, no." Corn replied. "But I would like the address of that robe shop later." Nothing says 'I am a member of an occult society' like robes. And mages went with robes in most media.

    When Campanella mentioned their tiny numbers and gave them a chance to speak, Corn said. "To be fair, I don't consider 4 Mysterium members for a city the size of Sacramento as tiny. This is not LA, San Diego or San Francisco. We have, I think, the numbers and skills required to do a lot of good work here." and two masters.
    When the discussion turned to their work, he said "I am working on the paper I've mentioned in the consilium, about alchemy. I have hit some setbacks but I am confident I would be able to present it to the Order soon. I will give a presentation with a projector and all. Then, I hope it would meet the required approval and be added to the Athenaum. It is not that groundbreaking but it would have a good summary and critical review of a wide range of sources. In short, it would save time for people working on something similar in the future. "
    For scene effects, see Minisheet. No monthly rituals at this time.
    Occult 4 because Mysterium is about the knowledge!

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  18. #10
    Campanella's Avatar
    Campanella
    Allies (City Hall)
    Allies (Criminal)
    Allies (Culture)
    Allies (Finance)
    Occult Skill
    Campanella
    Campanella
    Campanella's Scenes
    Stats

    Clock

    Health:
    Mana:
    WP:
    Armor 0
    Defense 2

    Vulgar +1
    Active Spells: 3/5
    Personal Spells: 3/1

    [2R] Analyze Artefact (Deep Scrutiny of Artefacts, Prolonged, 1 scene)
    [4R] Dark Matter (Matter Sight, Prolonged, 1 scene)
    [2R] One Mind, Two Thoughts (Prolonged, 1 scene)

    Tangled Threads

    Health:
    Mana:
    WP:
    Armor 4
    Defense 2

    Vulgar +1
    Active Spells: 3/5
    Personal Spells: 1/3


    [4] Aura Perception (Concentration, 1 scene)

    [5] Third Eye (Mind Sight, Prolonged, 1 scene)

    [2R] Unseen Aegis (Armor, 1 scene)

    2
    PRE

    Campanella nodded at Corn when he requested the details of the Moros tailor. Then he turned his attention back to Crystal and then Aurora

    "Good. Good."

    The Moros murmured as he shifted into a more comfortable pose.

    "I look forward to seeing what you have planned. Next I will speak for the benefit of our new members Crystal and Corn; Aurora was here - as was I - during the great tumult and before. You may consider this a consolidating of what we know... and perhaps a secret that the other Awakened beyond our Order do not..."

    "You stand - or sit, rather - in the Mysterium Athenaeum, which is part of the Circle of Creation; the Circle of Creation being the seat of this Consilium. The Consilium was once part of the Golden Consilium - officially at least. Unofficially, this area was more of a wild frontier that barely recognising the Hierarch in San Francisco and barely recognised by the Orders in that city. Eventually that ... arrangement ... became untenable and Sacramento seceded and formed its own Consilium. I dare say that the Golden Consilium has never fully accepted that secession, and has attempted and various times to either directly take over or else suborn the Sacramento Consilium. Nor has the Sacramento Consilium ever truly succeeded in escaping its 'frontier' past: few institutions have taken hold over the years; indeed, the Consilium has been rebranded a number of times over the years with varying success. The River City Consilium is no exception."

    He sighed.

    "Now none of that matters much anymore because of the Time War."

    His face darkened.

    "Several years ago, the Seers enacted a ritual that enabled them to rewrite portions of Sacramento's history. They used this power in an attempt to erase the Consilium from ever having existed in the first place. They nearly succeeded on their first attempt. The city's past was rewritten. Awakenings were... lost. People were... changed."


    "Our hold on the city was all but erased. I can... remember... that the Order's held property... had their own headquarters... We had a mighty Athenaeum open to only a select few... And then it was gone. There were weeks of nightmares. We lost people. Buildings and sanctums - perhaps even whole Cabals - vanished without a trace. We were saved by the sacrifice of some of the most powerful members of our Consilium, who gave up their Awakened Souls in a bid to break the ritual before more damage was done. Afterward, only the Circle of Creation remained. I can't speak of the other Order's but i know our Athenaeum was completely obliterated."

    "And the Circle had changed. At its heart was a beating machine of pure Supernal power - you can see it in the floor of the cathedral proper, inert now. This machine was our defence and our summons to war. I don't know how many times we used it - or it used us; calling us together and hurling us to battle the Seer's plans. Once on the Titanic. Another time a few years before in Sacramento itself. Another time... seventeenth century London. I may have missed other contests..."

    He shrugged.

    "I suppose we... didn't win. But we didn't loose. And neither could the Seers. I gather that they used the ritual multiple times to try and dislodge us, but like mud to shoe we would not go. And in their frustration the Seers caught the attention of Powers stronger than any of us..."

    Now he leaned forward.

    "A... Sodality of Archmages."

    It was clear the term was unfamiliar to the Moros as he spoke it.


    "A group dedicated to protecting Time. Or the Arcana of Time. I have no skill with that Arcanum and my discussions with our... allies... suffered because of it. I am given to understand the Seer's rituals were having an effect on Time itself, prompting this Sodality to intervene directly in the Fallen World. Luckily for us and our Consilium, they came down in our favour - but honestly, that was dumb luck. I met only three of them; I only dealt with one but I kept coming across the other two during... peace talks..."

    H
    e gritted his teeth, remembering his first encounter with the 1960s gentleman and his flute; of how the Archmage cut through all his defences - and that of his Seer counterpart; of how the 1960s gentleman forced their first parlay in a cheap diner at the busiest part of the day and not one Sleeper noticed. Of his disturbing encounter with the wild celt who spoke gibberish yet clearly imparted instructions telepathically. Of the 18th century gentlewoman who seemed to recognise some members of the Consilium from her own childhood.

    "I gather they forced the Seers to dismantle their apparatus in Sacramento completely, giving us free rein. One of them, a man who said he had come Awake during the Summer of Love and played the flute, stayed behind to ensure their compliance. He set up house in West Sacramento. Aurora will remember I declared the area off-limits when I was briefly Hierarch. That was because I didn't want news of the Archmage's presence getting out. No telling what would happen if every seeker or stupid challenger was to descend on us and go disturbing such a powerful Awakened's peace."

    "He has gone now. And so have the Seers. That is our situation now. We lost everything but somehow won the city. Allies are scattered. Treasure is gone. Pancrypta has been... well... it cannot be undone at this point. What was once is... no more."

    He gestured to the terrarium and the grubs.

    "They are part of it. They were found by a 'rip' in the fabric of the Fallen World. The mage who found them could sense such things, apparently - something to do with their Legacy. Its one reason why I keep them here for study."

    At this point he paused, waiting for comment.
    Campanella|Moros|Mysterium
    Gnosis: 4
    Occult Skill: 3

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